Day of Action for Reproductive Justice

By Curt Wechsler, The World Can't Wait on January 25, 2010 12:01 PM |

On January 23, World Can't Wait was part of a broad-based coalition of national and Bay Area feminist and community activists,  united in San Francisco's annual action to "Stop the War on Women - Day of Action for Reproductive Justice."  This rally and counter-protest led by the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR) was in response to the anti-choice "Walk for Life--West Coast" march where every year thousands of people are mobilized (mostly through the Catholic church) and bussed into San Francisco for this march, near the January 22 anniversary of Roe v Wade.

The rally began in spite of heavy rain, and the people's  energy and participation was welcome.  The most prominent of the speakers, Linci Comy of Women's Choice Clinic,  gave an important and clear analysis including the following comment.

"The simple truth is that when abortion is illegal women die. The World Health Organization (WHO) says 5 million women around the world are hospitalized each year from complications due to unsafe illegal abortion and 70,000 of these women die."

Additional speakers helped to charge and set the pace for the march.  Among them was B. E. Johnson of World Can't Wait, bringing into the mix a more comprehensive analysis of the broader political environment.  She stated: "There can be no common ground with maniacs.  Stop tying our dreams to what is politically expedient, start speaking the truth, and start acting like human beings with some passion and principles!" 


Just as "Walk For Life" began its march, a very diverse group of about 20 pro-choice women and men banded  together to disrupt it.   They were from different political groups and movements, and ranged in age from people in their early 20's to courageous lifelong resisters in their 80's.  Facing a group over 8,000 strong and lines of police primed to keep the anti-choice, anti-women message uninterrupted -- these brave women and men confronted the march, unfurling a 30' banner in the middle of the march and refusing to move.  (The initial intent was to have a "die in" but between the rain and the police in massive numbers stepping in,  they still seized the opportunity for immediate action.)  Our supporters were moving along the sidewalk giving encouragement and helping us stand our ground.

It lasted only a few minutes, with what looked like piles of police swarming down on the action to grab at the banner (they failed to confiscate it!) and roughly push and throw the counter-protesters over to the sidewalk.  But this action succeeded!  It disrupted the anti-choice march and even though metal barricades and lines of police prevented the entire pro-choice march from flowing over into the action itself, seeing this action energized the pro choice marchers on the sidewalk.   Together we made a statement: you anti-choice, anti-women's dignity and humanity marchers will not come to San Francisco unchallenged. 

Abortion was legalized in 1973 because it saves women's lives and benefits families; WHO research shows 220,000 children lose their mothers from abortion related deaths every year.  What a travesty for these abortion opponents to call themselves "pro-life"!.

Commemorating the 37th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the United States, today's event is a spirited reminder of the importance of legal accessible abortion. Pro-choice advocates -- joined by representatives from the immigrant, labor, lesbian/gay/bisexual/trans gender, disability, people of color and youth communities -- lined the march route of "Walk for Life" for the next few hours to denounce escalating assaults on reproductive freedom, civil liberties, and women's health by religious fundamentalists and governmental policies - including but not limited to the regressive, anti-abortion Stupak-Pitts and Nelson-Hatch amendments added the health care bills that passed in the House of Representatives and the one currently in conference between the Senate and the House.

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Curt Wechsler, The World Can't Wait published on January 25, 2010 12:01 PM.

Call to Action: Shut Down Guantanamo! was the previous entry in this blog.

Torture Tour stops in San Francisco is the next entry in this blog.

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